Rhode Island Clam Chowder

Our first trip to Amsterdam began much like most of our great European adventures: with an obscenely ambitious list of things to see and shoes that were completely unprepared for the amount of walking we had planned.😂 We had planned to see the museums, the beautiful old buildings, the parks, the food and of course, the famous canals.  But it turns out that in Amsterdam, the canals aren't just something you see.
They are the way you see the city.🚤

Amsterdam is a city that seems to have made a deal with the water long ago: We'll build around you, but we're going to make it beautiful.  And they did.  The canals curve through the city like ribbons, lined with narrow townhouses that lean this way and that as if they're still recovering from a particularly lively party. Bridges arch overhead. Houseboats sit peacefully along the water.

​​Our canal boat ride was one of those experiences that made me stop taking pictures for a minute because I realized that I wanted to remember what I was seeing.  From the water, the city feels different.  Quieter.  Slower.  We glided beneath old bridges and past centuries-old buildings watching Amsterdam unfold one canal at a time.  The buildings are magnificent, but they're also wonderfully imperfect. Some lean. Some tilt. Some look as though they might benefit from a good carpenter and a level.  But together, they're spectacular.

One of the best things about being a first-time visitor is that you are allowed to be completely clueless.  You don't have to know which bridge to take across the canal.  You don't have to understand the tram system on the first try and you certainly don't have to pretend you know where you're going when Google Maps has clearly abandoned you.  We wandered.  A lot.  We crossed bridges, followed canals, ducked into little streets and stopped whenever something caught our eye.  Travel has a funny way of reminding me that the best moments are rarely the ones we schedule down to the minute.

Back home, I'm accustomed to moving quickly.  I hurry to make dinner.  I rush to appointments.  And I tend to live in a constant state of hurry because I'm convinced that if I don't hurry, I'll somehow fall behind.  

That's the funny thing about travel.  We leave home thinking we're going somewhere to see things.  And we come home having collected memories and feelings, a slower pace, a new perspective, a few more stories and in our case, a much greater appreciation for cities that understand the importance of putting beautiful water right in the middle of everything.  Amsterdam taught me that sometimes the best way to experience a city is to stop trying so hard.

Trying new and foods is all part of the travel experience for me too and you know I tried all the Dutch treats I possibly could.  Bitterballen, fish and chips, pofferjes, stroopwafels, Dutch pancakes, Dutch apple pie, oysters, snails and clams.  From the savory to the sweets - they were amazing.  One of the standouts was clams vongole.  It was outstanding!!! 

I didn't think it was even possible but I'm pretty sure that I came home from Amsterdam craving even more seafood than ever before.  And since I'm looking forward to cooler Fall temperatures, I'm going to be making a giant batch of this Rhode Island Clam Chowder again VERY soon.  

Rhode Island Clam Chowder
8 pounds clams
7 cups water
6 cups clam broth
3 slices thick sliced bacon
4 Tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, diced
3 ribs celery, sliced thin
2 bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon chives
1/2 teaspoon dill
salt and pepper, to taste

Scrub clams and place in a bowl of cold water with pepper.  Refrigerate.  

Bring 7 cups water to a boil in pot fitted with a steamer basket.  

Add 1/2 of the clams and steam 5-10 minutes. Repeat with remaining clams.  Reserve broth.​

Cool clams and dice into 1/2" pieces.  Cover and refrigerate.

Cook bacon in pot until crispy.  Dice into small pieces. 

Pour off all but 1 T. fat.  Add butter, onions, celery and bay to bacon in pot.  Cook 6-8 minutes until softened.  ​

Add potatoes and reserved clam broth.  (Add clam juice to make 6 cups if necessary.)

Simmer until potatoes are tender. 

Just before serving, stir in clams and herbs.  Discard bay and season with salt and pepper. 

Whether you've visited Amsterdam or you're experiencing it for the first time - through my photographs - I hope that you realize that there's something magical about this city and that the world is much bigger—and much more beautiful—than the little corner of it we call home.​

​Ciao!

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